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Happy Thanksgiving week, friends!

I don’t know about you, but I cannot believe it’s already time to gobble gobble. This year has gone surprisingly slow for us until last month. Now it’s almost 2019 and I’m not sure why time started going so fast??

Nonetheless, I’m pumping myself up for Thanksgiving (and maybe some Black Friday shopping, too…). Whether you’re hosting Thanksgiving this year or just bringing a side, I’ve compiled up a list of some cookbooks that may aid you in the chaos of menu planning.

Tasty Latest and Greatest || Have you ever seen those quick recipe videos on Facebook that show you some mouthwatering recipe in a minute or so? Did you know they have a cookbook? I didn’t! Perfect for an easy Thanksgiving side.

Magnolia Table || Okay, I’m 99% sure I don’t even need to say anything about this one because…Joanna Gaines.

Thanksgiving 101 || If you’re looking for a full Thanksgiving meal worth of ideas, this one definitely has you covered.

Fix-It and Forget-It Big Cookbook || My second husband is my crockpot and I use it for every single gathering. I personally have the smaller version of this cookbook and I can’t believe there’s a bigger one because mine is FULL of yummy recipes.

The Instant Pot Cookbook || This is one kitchen appliance I haven’t invested in yet, but judging from my social media feed, I’m going to guess it’s pretty awesome. If you have one, this cookbook is right up your alley!

The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime || If your goal on Thanksgiving is to have people bow at your feet while simultaneously busting through their belt, this book is the one for you. If the Pioneer Woman does one thing well, it’s cooking with butter. What more can you ask for on Thanksgiving?

The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook || I’m just saying…if you show up to my house and say, “Hey, this recipe is inspired by Harry Potter!”, I’m going to adopt you as my best friend. #always

Do you have any of these cookbooks in your kitchen? Or any others that are worth taking a look at for the big day? Let me know in the comments!

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Hey there! Just so you know, this post contains affiliate links, which allow me to support my website and writing career. Thanks for stopping by and I hope to see you again soon!

I feel like hedgehogs are sort of forgotten animals. Sure, they’re a little ugly. Yeah, they’re a bit prickly.

But did you know they make for really cute crafts?!

Lilli and I had a blast doing this craft together. We went to the park and picked out some leaves, came home and talked a bit about hedgehogs, then created this leafy hedgy (see, even their nicknames can be cute). The leaves are technically supposed to outline the hedgehog's body, but I let me three-year-old take complete control, and it turned out cute anyway.

While we didn’t have a book about hedgehogs that we could reference, I think this craft would have been even better had we had one to read. So I did some research and found some adorable books that go right along with this craft!

(All descriptions are copied from each Amazon listing.)

The Very Helpful Hedgehog || “Isaac is a hedgehog who has only ever been alone, and that is the way he likes it. One day an apple falls from a tree and sticks onto the spines on his back. He wiggles and jiggles, but he cannot get it off. As he struggles to remove the apple, help comes in the unexpected form of a donkey who cannot reach the apples which fall outside of his paddock. Isaac learns that it is better to have a friend and to be helpful, than to be on your own all of the time.”

Hedgehugs || “Horace and Hattie are hedgehogs, and the very best of friends. Together, they make daisy chains, splash in puddles, and have tea parties. But there is one thing they can't do―hug! They are just too spiky. Throughout the seasons, these two hedgehogs will try many different ways of hugging. But will Horace and Hattie find a hug that feels just right?”

Prickly Hedgehogs || “When the sun has set, Hedgehog’s day has only just begun. She’s out and about, snuffling through layers of leaves and twigs as she searches for bugs and other things to eat. Young animal lovers will enjoy following Hedgehog and her little hoglets through towns and gardens, parks and woodland, as they sniff-sniff-sniff for food. The facts threaded throughout this inviting story augment the charming illustrations and will satisfy the most inquisitive of readers.”

Curious Little Hedgehog || “Hedgehog doesn't want to go to sleep and hibernate the winter away. He certainly has no intention on missing out on all the frosty, frozen adventures there are to be had. However, he might not have the choice...”

How Big Is Love? || “Little Hedgehog is determined to understand just how love works. His curious questions will warm your heart, and his sweet story will remind you that love grows every time you give it away.”

Do you plan on making this craft? If you do, be sure to tag me on Instagram (@brandijolittle) so I can see!

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Ps...be sure to sign up for my newsletter to gain first access to book updates, subscriber-only giveaways, and writer tips!

When you’re feeling alone because you don’t quite feel like you belong in the “infertility club”, I see you. When you’re sitting at the OB-GYN with a child in your arms and people assume you’re pregnant with your second, I see you, especially when you have to tell them the truth. When someone asks you, “When is ___ getting a brother/sister?”, I see you, because I’m never sure what to say, either.

I see you when your heart feels guilty for wanting to grow your family when others are struggling just to have one baby. I see you crying when you see little siblings playing together. I see you struggling to admit your struggles out of fear of judgement. I see you when you feel angry that it’s just not working.

When someone does judge you and claims you’re not thankful for the child you already have, I see you. When someone claims you don’t understand real infertility, I see you. When someone doesn’t understand why you’re trying so hard to have a second baby, I see you.

I see you when someone says, “Just relax, it’ll happen!”, or, “You’re young. Give it time.”, or, “Maybe God only wants you to have one.” I see you when you look into the future and wonder if your child will resent you for not giving them a sibling. I see you weeping when you imagine your child on their wedding day, with no siblings standing next to them. I see you shaking with fear, imagining the worse, that one day you won’t be around, and what if you’ve left them alone?

When another pregnancy test is negative and your child is one month older, I see you. When you’re at the doctor’s office so often that your child is uncharacteristically familiar with the setting, I see you. When you’re trying to manage infertility treatments and raising a child, I see you. When you get more and more and more bad news, I see you.

I see you if you finally got pregnant and miscarried. I see you when you have to explain to your child why your belly isn’t growing anymore. I see you when you shake with guilt that you lost your child’s sibling. I see you when you mourn a child that you never got to meet. I see you when your child asks for a brother or sister and you don’t know what to say.

When your friend’s and family’s bellies are growing and birthing and yours is still barren, I see you. When your friends and family are getting pregnant on accident with their second, fourth, seventh, I see you. When your friends and families smiles are made of sympathy, or maybe they aren’t around anymore to even do that because they don’t know what to say, I see you.

I see you when you lay awake at night, wishing you would have savored your pregnancy, birth, the newborn stage, all of the stages just a little bit more, because you may never experience it again. I see you trying to savor as much as you can right now before it’s gone forever. I see you laying next to your husband in the dark, hoping he never resents you for not giving him a large family. I see you wanting a different life from the one you grew up in. I see you when you can’t open the door to your spare bedroom, for even though it’s filled with leftover baby items, it’s painfully empty.

To the woman who is struggling with secondary infertility, I see you. I see you because I am you. With tears on my cheeks and so much love in my heart, I see you, I understand you and your heart, and I’m praying fiercely for you.

Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Romans 12:15

about me

Hey there! I'm so glad you're here! Here are some things you should know about me as you scroll through my little corner of the internet: I love Jesus the most. I’m a wife, stay-at-home mom, infertility warrior, fixer-upper inhabitant, published fiction author, and reader of all the things. When I’m not reading or writing, you’ll often find me out in the garden, mixing an oil blend, or baking in the kitchen. Welcome to my space, and I hope you stay a while!